Wire braced container for display package



Nov. 22, 1966 Filed Sept. 24, 1964 H. ROSENTHAL WIRE BRACED CONTAINER FOR DISPLAY PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Horry Rosenfhol ATTORNEY Nov. 22, 1966 ROSENTHAL 3,286,824

I WIRE BRACED CONTAINER FOR DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed Sept. 24, 1964 5 Sheet$-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Harry Rosenfhol W 7AM? BY ATTORNEY Nov. 22, 1966 H. ROSENTHAL 3,

WIRE BRACED CONTAINER FOR DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed Sept. 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Harry Rosenfhal BY aM- ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-4533) .This invention relates to a novel wire-braced rigid generally rectangular container for packaging display items, the container being formed of a pair of opposed braces which define opposite sides of the display package, said opposed braces consisting of identical open-ended wire loops, each of said loops having a continuous top portion in the shape of a U adapted for insertion within the folded plies of a multiple ply rectangular rigid top member to form with said top a vertical brace consisting of the generally parallel vertical wires which extend perpendicularly downward from the plane of the U-shaped top portion of the brace and terminate in stepped prong ends which dig into and anchor into leg members of a base platform of the package, said base platform consisting of a rectangularly shaped support member made of rigid paper material with inwardly and upwardly folded leg sections defining a continuous paper runner which the prong ends of the brace can engage.

As a result, each wire corner brace in the form defined above simultaneously outlines a complete side and anchors top and bottom in a mechanical interlock which is removably insertable into the rigid top panel and adjustable therein, while it is fixed in the bottom closed channel of the leg due to the digging action of the two prong ends at each side.

The width of the U is substantially the same as the width of the top, multiple ply paper panel having an open edge between the plies, the distance of separation between the open prong ends at the base is adjusted by the engagement' of the inner loop of the vertical wire portion with the top corner of the platform. Extending from this inner loop, parallel-to the U-shaped loop-at the top, is a stepped knee which ends in the reversedly bent prong to engage a point in the base channel of the platform.

As a result of the prong structure of the specially formed wire braces forming the sidewalls, the assembly of the package requires that the knee above the prong be inserted first into the platform channels, the vertical wires are then erected by inserting the U-loop into the edge and overriding the bottom ply of the top member; in elfect, the wire braced rigid display package is erected from the bottom using the U-loops to fit into the top.

A transparent sheet forms the walls. This transparent sheet is a moisture-proof film such as rubber hydrochloride or cellulose acetate or regenerated cellulose-or polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene, polypropylene, vinylidene chloride polymers of the Saran type, or various copolymers of vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile. and the like in the form of commercially availableheat-sealing film.

The top and bottom members of the container are made by folding and bending over the opposing ends of die-cut, strong, rigid rectangular top and bottom pieces of cardboard, chipboard paperboard or corrugated paperboard material to form a multiple ply folded over top and bottom member. The top member has substantially the same or slightly greater width as the width of the U-shaped top loop wire portion.

After the side braces have been positioned and the items for display are positioned, the transparent sheet forming the envelope may be bonded, welded or fastened into place in any suitable manner around the rigid frame formed by the corner braces and top and bottom members, or surrounding the entire frame.

In a related embodiment of looped wire brace sidewall 3,286,824 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 "ice reinforcement for display package, there is provided a triangular, rather than a rectangular, cross section display package in accordance with the present invention. This related embodiment employs a single wire, rather than a parallel U-looped brace and embodies the same knee with reversedly bent prong end at each terminal of said vertical bracing member. The reversedly bent prongs have a lap portion which bends at the knee; and the lap portion of the lower prong serves to engage the inner upper part of a triangular section channel of the display package base, while the lap portion of the upper prong part of the brace engages the inner middle line of the upper triangular section channel of the top edge of the package.

The package is of the shape which has been used for displaying lipstick, nail polish and similar elongated cosmetics in blister pack against a white cardboard background which is inwardly bent to provide an L-shaped container. The present rigid base and upwardly folded side are modified at the top of the side and at the extreme edge of the base by the formation of an open channel of triangular section in the shape of the figure 4. The upper channel has a lower planar surface which is generally parallel to the base and the engagement of the single wire brace is by prong holding action at the upper edge and in the lower inner channel, with each lap portion of the prong acting as a guide to position the vertical portion of a right triangle which the package presents in end View. So wired, the package is ready for Wrapping with the transparent material.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a display container of sturdy, simple construction which can withstand rough handling while protecting the displayed items from mutilation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective of one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of a container according to another form of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the assembled, wrapped container of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively are exploded and assembled views in perspective of another form of the invention having an L pedestal and triangular section;

FIG. 6 is a view of a corner brace usable in the L pedestal embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 of the invention; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively show the assembled containers of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the vertical portions of the wirebraces crossed when the horizontal top and bottom wire brace portions are inserted into the paperboard top member and base platform member respectively.

Referring to the drawings, the novel container 11 is shown in FIG. 1 formed of top- 13 which is shown as a three ply corrugated body having identical rectangular top and bottom plies 14 and 15 of cardboard. Chipboard, paperboard or corrugated material maybe used for the folded and pasted top member 13.

Open edge 15, one at each short end of top member 13, is provided for the insertion of the U-shaped top portion 37 of the wire corner brace member 31 after the lower terminal stepped prong ends 35 of this wire brace member have first been inserted into the lower apex of each of the triangular cross sectional channel members 41 of the base platform 30, the width of the U-shaped top portion being substantially the same as the width of the top member. tion channel extends along the entire length of the longitudinal outer edge of the base platform and is integral with said base platform, being formed by infolding The triangular cross sec-- that part of the paperboard base material which constitutes an extension of the aforesaid longitudinal outer edge of the base and then by securing the extension to the platform base with adhesive.

The insertion'of the U-shaped top portion 37 of the wire corner brace into top member 13 and the assembly of the container is accomplished in the following manner:

With the rigid base platform member 30 held horizontally and with the vertical portions 29 of the wire corner brace member 31 [held to form a substantially continuous horizontal line with the longitudinal outer edge of said base platform member, the prong ends of the brace are inserted into the upper inner corners of triangular cross section channels 41 until the knee portions 34 meet the upper corner edges of the channels; thereafter the brace is rotated upwardly with gentle pressure until the lap portions 33 are inside of and adjacent the upper portion of the triangular channels and the vertical braces 29 are upright in perpendicular relation to the longitude of the base platform. In this position, the pronged ends of the wire corner brace will dig into the lower apex of the channels, the vertical braces will be in upright position to provide a vertical side for the finished package assembly and support will be provided for the top rigid member into which the U-shaped to of the wire corner brace member is then inserted.

The dimension along the longitudinal outer edge of the rectangular top member is equal to the dimension of the longitudinal outer edge of the base platform and a generally rectangular completed package is produced.

FIGURE 1 also illustrates the details of the rigid base platform 30 in which the rectangular top 25 and the triangular cross-section channels 41 are integrally formed. The thickness of the rigid material is shown at 25a and the joining seam 25g extends longitudinally along the midline of the underside of the platform, this joining seam being formed by adhesively scouring t-heupwardly folded portions of the rigid paperboard blank.

FIGURE 2 illustrates another embodiment of the in vention, which is referred to as the novel container 10, wherein the top member 6 -is formed in the shape of a triangu'larly cross-sectioned channel member comprising :a rectangular base a and two identical rectangular sides 5g which join at an apex. The rectangular base 5a and the rectangular sides 5g of the top member are formed of a single piece of rigid paperboard material which is folded over under one-half the width of base 5a and isglued thereto to form ply 5b. The insertion of the wire cornerbrace member is accomplished in the same.

manner as in container 11 of FIGURE 1, with the U- shaped loop portion 37 of the wire brace being inserted over the open based edge of top member 6 at the corners where base 5a joins sides 5g to form the triangular cross section channel.

FIGURE 3 is the assembled container of FIGURE 1 complete with transparent wrapping 51.

FIGURE 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of the novel container assembly of the invention, wherein the container base and side 65, each with its respective longitudinal cross section channel, 56 and 66, are integrally formed to present a general L-sh'ape before the insertion of the wire corner braces, and to produce a general right triangle shape after the wire braces are inserted and the transparent material 51 is wrapped around the package.

Base member 55 and side wall member 65, which is perpendicular to the base member, each terminate in infolded longitudinal triangular cross section channels, bottom channel 56 and top channel 66 respectively, said channels being formed by first folding the rigid paperboard material diagonally, in a direction inwardly and downwardly from the top of the side wall in the case ofthe top channel and in a direction inwardly and upwardly from the forward edge of the base section in the case of the bottom channel, thereafter again folding to form a side of each triangular channel which is perpendicular to the side wall and perpendicular to the base member respectively, then folding the rigid material back toward the top side edge and the base front edge respectively so that there is an inner longitudinally double ply of rigid paperboard material along the upper longitudinal portion of the side wall and along the lower forward portion of the base member. Thus, the upper channel is parallel to the base channel.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 4, the verticalsingle wire brace comprises top prong end 45, reversedly int turned upper lap portion 43 with upper knee 44 bent to provide a vertical brace section 49 which is perpendicular to lap 43 and which is bent at its lower part to form a lower lap portion 43 having a reversedly inturned portion which terminates in loop 48, as shown in detail in FIG. 6.

To assemble the novel package 9, loop 48 of each side brace is inserted into each side edge of longitudinal triangular channel 56 until knee 44 is against the upper corner of the channeland the lower lap portion 43 rests against the inner upper apex of channel 56. In this poment of FIG. 4 with the transparent sheet material 51.

wrapping the entire package.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show modifications of the assembled wrapped container in which the sides of the wire corner brace members are crossed as the inserted U-shaped top and pronged ends are inserted whereby the crossing, of the wires acts both as a spring-tensioning device to impart rigidity to the completed pack-age and as an aid in gripping the container.

Having thus disclosed the invention, what is claimed 1s:

1. A rigid display package assembly comprising: a flat rectangular base made of paperboard material serving as a support for an article to be displayed, said support being provided with a triangular cross section channel extending along the entire length of a longitudinal outer edge of said base, said channel being integral with and being formed by infolding and adhesively securing that part of the paperboard material of said base which constitutes an extension of the longitudinal outer edge of said base; a rigid, generally rectangular top member formed of joined paperboard layers, said rectangular top member having a dimension along the longitudinal outer edge thereof equal to the longitudinal outer edge of said base support member and said top member having an open edge at each short, end thereof; two identical wire braces, the bottom end of each brace fitting into a corner of the channel of the base 7 braces being further formed with a prong end which is reversedly bentto form a knee of said lap, said prong end digging into an apex of said triangular section channel of the base to anchor the brace .in proper spaced;

vertical relation at a corner of said base; and a transparent wrapping surrounding the assembly of wire brace P ase member and top member.

2. A display package assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top member is formed in the shape of a triangularly cross sectioned channel member comprising a rectangular base and two rectangular sides which join at an apex, and each said wire brace is formed at the upper part thereof with an inwardly bent, perpendicularly extending lap portion terminating at a knee, and reversedly extending from said knee, -a prong end which engages the apex of said top channel member.

3. A display package assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom member is formed in the shape of a rectangular platform overlying a pair of triangular cross section channels, said channels extending along opposite longitudinal edges of said rectangular bottom, and wherein said top member is formed in the shape of a triangular cross section channel member formed of a rectangular base and two rectangular sides, each of said corner brace members being in the form of a closed U shaped loop at the top, parallel leg portions extending perpendicularly from said loop with the loop adapted to fit over the open based edge of the top member channel after the prongs are dug into the triangular cross section channels of the bottom member.

4. A display package assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top member is formed in the shape of an open-edged, two-ply folded rectangle having open side edges, and each of said brace members is formed in the shape of a closed U-shaped loop at the top and is further formed with two perpendicular portions at right angles to said loop so that said loop is interfitted between the side edges of said top member after the prong ends at the opposite ends of the parallel leg portions of said brace member are dug into the triangular cross section channel of the bottom member.

5. A display package as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bottom member and top member are integral in the form of an L and the base of the L-shaped package is formed with an infolded triangular channel overlying the flat portion of said base.

6. A rigid display package as claimed in claim 1 in which the vertical portions of said pair of identical wire braces are crossed diagonally when the U-shaped top and prong bottom ends are inserted into the paperboard base and top members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,114,453 12/1963 Rosenthal 206-45.33

FOREIGN PATENTS 508,911 1/1955 Canada.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A RIGID DISPLAY PACKAGE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A FLAT RECTANGULAR BASE MADE OF PAPERBOARD MATERIAL SERVING AS A SUPPORT FOR AN ARTICLE TO TUBE DISPLAYED, SAID SUPPORT BEING PROVIDED WITH A TRIANGULAR CROSS SECTION CHANNEL EXTENDING ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF A LONGTUDINAL OUTER EDGE OF SAID BASE, SAID CHANNEL BEING INTEGRAL WITH AND BEING FORMED BY INFOLDING AND ADHESIVELY SECURING THAT PART OF THE PAPERBOARD MATERIAL OF SAID BASE WHICH CONSTITUTES AN EXTENSION OF HE LONGITUDINAL OUTER EDGE OF SAID BASE; A RIGID, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR TOP MEMBER FORMED OF JOINED PAPERBOARD LAYERS, SAID RECTANGULAR TOP MEMBER HAVING A DIMENSION ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL OUTER EDGE THEREOF EQUAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL OUTER EDGE OF SAID BASE SUPPORT MEMBER AND SAID TOP MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN EDGE AT EACH SHORT END THEREOF; TWO IDENTICAL WIRE BRACES, THE BOTTOM END OF EACH BRACE FITTING INTO A CORNER OF THE CHANNEL OF THE BASE AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CHANNEL AND THE TOP END OF EACH BRACE FITTING BETWEEN THE OPEN EDGES OF SAID OUTER SHORT ENDS OF THE TOP PAPERBOARD MEMBER, EACH OF SAID IDENTICAL WIRE BRACES BEING FORMED WITH VERTICAL PORTION WHICH FORMS A VERTICAL EDGE OF THE PACKAGE AND ALSO BEING FORMED WITH A PERPENDICULAR INTUCKED PORTION IN THE SHAPE WITH THE TOP MEMBER AND THE BASE MEMCHANNEL SPACES WITH THETOP MEMBER AND THE BASE MEMBER IN PARALLEL RELATION TO EACH OTHER EACH OF SAID WIRE BRACES BEING FURTHER FORMED WITH A PRONG END WHICH IS REVERSEDLY BENT TO FORM A KNEE OF SAID LAP, SAID PRONG END DIGGING INTO AN APEX OF SAID TRIANGULAR SECTION CHANNEL OF THE BASE TO ANCHOR THE BRACE IN PROPER SPACED VERTICAL RELATION AT A CORNER OF SIAD BASE; AND A TRASPARENT WRAPPING SURROUNDING THE ASSEMBLY OF WIRE BRACE PAIRS, BASE MEMBER AND TOP MEMBER. 